NBA star Kristaps Porzingis released a statement on Friday about his future amid his health battle. The Golden State Warriors big man is dealing with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Porzingis has not played a single game for the 2026-27 season.
In his statement, Porzingis said he will step away from basketball to focus on improving his health.
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“This season I was really looking forward to running it with this group, but as I ramped up, my body didn’t respond the way I anticipated,” he wrote. “I’m doing well, but I know what it takes, and I’m not where I want to be to perform at the level that I expect from myself. At this point, I’ve decided to prioritize my health and step away from the game I love.”
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However, he also said that he is open to working with the Warriors to arrange a potential trade. Luca Evans of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Porzingis is open to buying out his contract if Golden State finds a trade partner for him. Evans also reported that the one-time champion is not retiring from basketball.
The Warriors acquired Kristaps Porzingis via trade from the Atlanta Hawks last season. He appeared in 15 games, averaging 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists. According to reports, Porzingis first experienced severe symptoms after contracting a viral illness with the Boston Celtics.
Draymond Green Drops Honest Truth About Kristaps Porzingis
Draymond Green isn’t paying much attention to Kristaps Porzingis. The four-time champion has focused more on the team’s performance, according to what he told Sam Amick of The Athletic.
“Since I’ve been here on this team, it’s never been about bickering, never about ‘Shame on this guy,’ ‘Shame on that guy,’” he said. “We’ve never had that culture here. So the same goes for (Porzingis). No one’s sitting around bashing this guy or even worried about him, for that matter. In our minds, we’ve moved forward with the players that we have here.”
Green means no harm about what he said about Porzingis, and he is aware of what the Latvian star could bring to the team. However, the roster has no choice but to move on.
“(Does) everyone in here think he can help us? Of course. We know what type of player he is. But I don’t think anyone in here is sitting around waiting on him to walk through that door. Everybody’s moved on in their mindset.”
Green and the Warriors were informed about Kristaps Porzingis’ health issues before their season opener against the LA Lakers. After hearing about the situation, the four-time champion said the team was jolted.
It was also addressed following the Warriors’ three-game road trip in October. Green told the roster to move on and encouraged them to have the “next man up” mentality.
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Edited by Reign Amurao
